Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-08
TALK OF THE TRAVELLERS,
Colonel Murdoch the ''Daady of tn.
Wichita Boom
:. Louis Republican

Wichita Boom"
st. Louis Republican.
colonel M. NJ. Murdoch, editor of the
Daily Eagle of Wichita, Kan, is at the
Southern in all the glory of spring suit
and white soft hat, and overlooking with
the ouoyancy of spirit that is one of the
leading characteristics of the enterprlsing
journalists of Kansas. "Marsh'' Muir
dock is one of the Oldest and best
known newspaper men in the great
STATE where the men escort their wives
and daughters to the polls as they do to
church in other states, and no man has
been more prominently identified with
her progress. He has been a member of
the state Senate several terms and has
held other important official posi-
ton. In appearance he greatly
resembles SOthern'S well known
character, Lord Dundreary, but, unlike
that singulsrly sanguine gentleman, he
never INDUCES in great schemes having
neither top, sides nor bottom. Still, he
originated one scheme for which the
people Of Wichita are truly thankful,
for there have indeed been "milliors
in it." They affectionately call him
"the daddy of the boOm.' Sometime
ago he found it necessary to add
another story to his printing establish
ment, and he reserved a front room in
the addition for his private OFF e. Be-
fore it was completed number of friends
came to him and asked permission to
furnish his Office. He consented, and
now he has probably the finest furnished
office in the country. The carpet is
Wilton, brought from New York; the cur
tains cost 500 pair; the desk is a most
elaborate AFFAIR; the ceiling Is beautifully
frescOed, and the walls are artistically |
decorated; full length mirrors, statuary
and paintings sdorn the room; altogether
the office resembles 8 milliOneire's par
lor, $4,000 having been expended in it's
decoration. a representative of the
Frank Leslie publications visited Mr..
Murdoch in his Office q short time
ago and was astOnished at it's
Mrs. Frank Leslie, he
said, thought she had an elegant Office,
but it could not compare with the sane
tum from which the Wichita "boom"
articles emanated. Speaking of Wichita,
yesterday, Mr.. Murdoch said: "The
boom is still on. Seventy three build
ing permits were issued last week, and
the transfers of real estate
amount to about $4,000 The
issue of building permits since Jan
uary has averaged eight per day, and !
the smallest weekly sales during that
period were $7OO,0Oe, while during some |
weeks the sales have gone above $2,00O,- |
900. The greatest trouble we have is |
getting stone for foundations. Train |
load after train load arrives in the city |
daily, and still operations on a great !
many buildings are delayed for weeks; |
but improvements have been made or pro- |
iected on nearly all the property bought |
since the opening of the boom. Standing |
On an elevation the town looks like it was
composed entirely of new houses. How
many houses have been erect
I'd this year Well, 1 hardly
know, but I don't believe it
would be much under 400. Last June
re had q, 900 Inhabitants; now the popu-
alton is estimated at 10000" Murdoch
S accompanied oy Messrs. J. h. Richards,
\. F. NiederIander, A. w. Oliver, 7. B.
durdock, r. Harding and Kos. Harris,
Ill prominent citizens of Wichita.